Europe's Big 5

Europe's Big 5

Most of us have heard about "Africa's Big 5" - The elephant, lion, leopard,  buffalo, and rhinoceros. The term big five was first coined by hunters in Africa referring to the most difficult animals to hunt.  

And many might know, Asia's Big 5 too.  They are the Asiatic Lion, Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian Leopard, Clouded Leopard, and Snow Leopard.

Many people in Europe are not aware of the fact that the continent is home to equally impressive animals.  The term "Europe's Big 5" originated in 2014 in a Belgian television program 'Dieren in nesten', in which the directors went in search of the European counterparts of the African Big 5.  It was aired between 11th January to 8th February 2014 on Een Belgian Channel.

They were chosen the European bison, the wolf, the brown bear, the wolverine, and the lynx as "European Big 5" after traveling to the wildest and most remote parts of the continent and judged on appearance, importance, rareness, behavior, and emotions they triggered.  

You can admire all five of them at the Caves of Han animal park. This animal park celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017.  To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hans Cave, the Belgium Post issued a miniature sheet with Europa's big 5 animal stamps with a bear-shaped cut at the top.

Odd World - Belgium

My odd and unusual collection of Belgium stamps and MS

Odd shaped MS

Glow in the dark MS

World Record Stamp - Belgium

Belgium is a country in Western Europe. While Belgium reminds most of us of Waffles, Chocolates and Beers, for me and most stamp collectors Belgium reminds us the Chocolate Stamp, World Record stamp, Thermochromic stamp and  Of course beautiful engraved stamps. I always wish to add Belgium Chocolate stamp, 2013 100years of RMI Thermochromic stamp and the World Record stamp to my Unusual and Unique stamps collection. One of my wishes came true through a Post Card swap with Mr. Johan. He used the non denominated bpost's 2014 Women's Day World Record stamp on the card. The 2014 bpost's Women's Day stamp has set a world record for the most number of words on a stamp.  A woman's face is designed exclusively with gridded words and the background is with digital micro texts. It set a Guinness World Record for most number of words on a stamp.  The stamp has 606 complete words in four languages.  The words are taken from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW). CEDAW is an International treaty adopted by United Nation General Assembly in 1979 and came into force in 1981.  

I like the card for Johan's neat hand writing.  It seems that he has tried to replicate the small letters in the stamp!

The non denominated Women's Day stamp made my day.

Belgium Airplane stamps and minisheet

Few days back I received a surprise from my friend Joel. It was a cover with airplane stamp on it and inside the cover were a miniature sheet and few stamps  on my topic aviation.

The miniature sheet was issued to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Edgar Pierre Jacobs. The miniature sheet depicts Captain Francis Blake and partner, Professor Philip Mortimer - both are characters from Jacob's comic book. The miniature sheet was issued simultaneously by France (unperforated one) and Belgium (perforated one), on May 17, 2004. The below Miniature sheet is a Belgium issue. 

Below were few stamps on aviation sent by him...

The last stamp on the last row depicts the Belgian pioneer aircraft - the bi-plane dating from 1908.  This stamp was issued in the year 1973 by bpost (Belgium post).

The left most stamp on the last row was issued to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Sabena ( Sabena is an airlines in Belgium) The stamp was issued on 19th of May 1973.

The speciality of the last row is that he sent both perforated and non-perforated stamps :). Only 1000s of non-perforated were printed.

The top row shows the airmail set issued by Belgium in 1951 and commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Aeroclub of Belgium.